Arm Injuries - Home Treatment

First aid for a suspected broken bone

Remove
all bracelets and rings. It may be hard to remove the jewelry if your arm
or hand swells. Swelling without removal of jewelry can cause other serious
problems, such as nerve compression or restricted blood flow.

Do not try to straighten the injured
arm. If a bone is sticking out of the skin, do not try to push it back into the
skin. Cover the area with a clean bandage, and use a
splint to support the arm in its current
position.

Splint an injured arm to protect it from further injury.
Loosen the wrap around the splint if you have numbness, tingling, increased
pain, swelling, cool skin, or other symptoms. The wrap may be too
tight.

Cast and splint care

If your arm is in a cast or
splint, your doctor will give you instructions on how to
care for your cast or splint. Try to move the
uninjured parts of your arm as normally as possible to help maintain muscle
strength and tone.

Home treatment for a minor injury

If you have a minor
injury and do not need to be checked by a doctor, you may be able to use home
treatment to help relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Rest and protect an
injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may
be causing your pain or soreness.

Ice will
reduce pain and swelling. Apply
ice or cold packs immediately to prevent or minimize swelling. Apply the ice
or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day.

For the first 48 hours after an injury,
avoid things that might increase swelling, such as hot showers, hot tubs, hot
packs, or alcoholic beverages.

After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is
gone, apply
heat and begin
gentle exercise with the aid of moist heat to help
restore and maintain flexibility. Some experts recommend alternating between
heat and cold treatments.

Compression, or wrapping
the injured or sore area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap), will
help decrease swelling. Don't wrap it too tightly, since this can cause more
swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight.
Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain,
coolness, or swelling in the area below the bandage. Talk to your doctor if you think you need to use a wrap for longer than 48 to 72
hours—a more serious problem may be present.

Elevate the injured or sore area on pillows while applying ice
and anytime you are sitting or lying down. Try to keep the area at or above the
level of your heart to help minimize swelling.

Remove rings, bracelets, watches, or any other jewelry from your hand and arm.
It will be more difficult to remove the jewelry later if swelling
increases.

Wear a
sling for the first 48 hours after the injury if it
makes you more comfortable and supports the injured area. If you feel you need
to use a sling for more than 48 hours, discuss your symptoms with your doctor.

Gently massage or rub the area to relieve pain and
encourage blood flow. Do not massage the injured area if it causes
pain.

Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Smoking slows
healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more
information, see the topic
Quitting Smoking.

Aspirin (also a nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug), such as Bayer or Bufferin

Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two
medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.

Safety tips

Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine:

Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.

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